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1,800 new Canadians poised to lose citizenship: Kenney) |; d$ U1 J7 w7 N3 ?9 c! ^
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Richard J. Brennan1 `4 `8 w, C2 p& |
National Affairs Writer
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Immigration Minister Jason Kenney confirmed Wednesday that as many as 1,800 new Canadians could be stripped of their citizenship because they were obtained fraudulently.9 J2 f# s5 \8 s- W5 R
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“We are in the process of notifying them that we will be revoking their citizenship because Canadian citizenship is not for sale,” Kenney told the Economic Club of Canada.1 f' |8 e! Z$ {2 Y: k* l7 E
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Kenney said some of the individuals are believed to have used “unscrupulous” immigration consultants who submitted fraudulent applications on behalf of people who did not meet the qualifications for citizenship.& W- |3 a" H( V& `, K4 M
3 L1 l* C( P) I- xThe 1,800 were identified following a three-year investigation by the RCMP, other police forces and Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
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; y) l1 U* @8 L2 J# X! q“By the way, we are not done with our investigation” Kenney said, noting that many of the accused live outside the country." g7 b& e" N# ? |2 c
- I k: j- N# ~$ K, GThey can challenge the decision in Federal Court. If not, Cabinet will move to revoke their citizenship.2 |9 f9 C/ O) i0 J7 t# _
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Citizenship revocation is relatively uncommon in Canada with only 63 people being stripped of their citizenship since 1977, Kenney said.
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Most were for reasons related to residence fraud, criminality and false identity, or concealing their involvement in war crimes.7 {2 \# @- O |% q3 B
% _- Q7 |6 I# t5 d. Q# ]Speaking in Vancouver on Tuesday, Kenney said Ottawa is trying to discourage immigration fraud.9 b3 H x# D( _
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“For those who simply touch down and try to get a Canadian passport as a … passport of convenience, who don’t pay our taxes but who do consume our social benefits, I think that’s dishonourable,” he told reporters after delivering a speech to the Vancouver Board of Trade.7 u$ F8 t) s5 U; U7 D
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“There are many ways that we are combating immigration fraud and abuse of our generosity, whether it is from [bogus] asylum claimants, crooked immigration consultants, people smugglers [or] people who are abusing our citizenship program,” he said.9 ~9 P& C- M3 M5 i4 M
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Kenney also announced that Canada will soon be introducing multi-year visas for low-risk visitors from around the world that will last 10 years. |
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